Wet process for the treatment of ores.



H. T. DURANT, H. L. SULMAN & W. HOMMEL.

WET PROCESS FOR THE TREATMENT OF ORES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. II 1909.

Patented Aug. 2, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

l'hvehior's' Wiinesses Hair 4' fiorneys.

H. T. DURANT, H. L. SULMAN & W. HOMMEL. WET PROCESS FOR THE TREATMENT OF0333. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 11, 1909.

66,389. Patented Aug. 2, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H. T. DURANT, H. L. SULMAN & W. H OMMEL. WET PROCESS FOR THE TREATMENTOF ORES. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 11, 1909.

966,389 Patented Aug. 2, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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HENRY 'rno uns nunnrt'r, rinNRY Lrvmesrenn snmvraiv, an]; WOLDEMARHOMMEL,

or LONDON, ENGLAND.

WET PROGLESS FOR THE TREATMENT OF GEES.

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Specification of letters Iatent.

Application filed November 11, 1909. Serial No. 527,433.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY THoMAs DU- RANT, HENRY LIVINGSTONE SULMAN,and WOLDEMAR HoMMEL, Ph. D., all subjects of the King of England,residing at London, in England, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Wet Processes for the Treatment of Ores, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates-to wet processes for the treatment ofmetalliferous ores or compounds particularly of zinc, and moreparticularly to rocesses in which ores containin zinc oxi are treatedwith asolution of su furous acid so asjto obtain a solution of bisulfiteof zinc.

An important feature of this invention is that the solution process is acontinuous one.

Hitherto it has been proposed to effect the agitation of the ore orcompound with water or other liquid in an apparatus comprising a tankhaving a pipe open .at both ends and arranged vertically therein, andmeans for introducing at the foot of the pipe a lifting medium such ascompressed air for raising the liquid contents of the tank up throughthe aforesaid pi-pe thereby promoting a circulation of the saidcontents. Ap aratus of the general type in which a jet or injector isused to cause circulation of a mixture of ore and liquid will behereinafter referred to as an injector agitator.

According to'this invention an injector agitator is' supplied with amedium which does not merely promote circulation of the contents of theapparatus but has a' chemical effect upon the said contents. Theaforesaid medium may be in the form of a soluble gas in which case itwill become absorbed by the liquid inthe agitating apparatus or it maybe already in solution when introduced. For example, when treating zineores suspended. inwater with'.sulfur dioxid,-the sulfur dioxid derivedfrom the roastingof the sulfid ore or otherwise may be introduceddirectly at the foot of the vertical pipe in the injector agitatorcontaining the roasted ore in suspension in water; or the gas may befirst absorbed by water and the dilute sulfuroiis acid solution 'soobtained may be the aforesaid pipe. In the former caset e" gas will soonbecome absorbed by the water forming dilute sulfurous acid-and in eithercase the dilute acid solution will exert a chemical action on theroasted ore in the known manner.

Another example of the application of this invention to the zincbisulfite process already referred to resides in the use of steam or hotgases in an injector a itator for the conversion of soluble bisul te ofzinc into the insoluble monosulfite. The

steam or hot gas may be introduced at the foot of the pipe in aninjector agitator and a reduced pressure may be maintained on thesurface of the bisulfite of zinc solution, the result being the heatingand agitation of the contents of the apparatus and the conversion of thebisulfite of 'zincqinto the monosulfite with evolution of sulfur dioxid.

Zinc or other ores maybe similarly treated with other appropriatechemically active gases either free or in solution. Ores containingzincor copper may, for example,be treated in the manner hereinbeforedescribed with ammonia either in the hydrated or gaseous form. Thesoluble gas or gases or the solution thereof may be used in substitutionfor the mere lifting medium hitherto employed in the injector agitatoror in addition thereto.

Figure 1 is a sectional view of one form of apparatus for carrying outthe present process. Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are similar views of modifiedforms of apparatus.

Referring to Fig. 1, A is the mixer and into this leads a pipe B havinga conical end B situated within a receptacle C. Be neat h the conicalend 15 of the pipe B is arranged a nozzle D leading from a conduit DAbove the receptacle C is a hopper E with a spiral conveyor E fordepositing the ore in the receptacle C. A supply of water 'F is alsoprovided. Sulfur dioxid or sulfurous acid is pumped by means of theconduit D into the receptacle C and the nozzle D and orifice B acting asan injector, by which the ore and water are forced into the mixer Awhence they pass out through a conduit G. The gas above the liquid inthe mixer is under pressure so that the sulfur dioxid is retained by theli uid. A pipe H is arranged having one on opening above the level ofthe liquid in the mixer and the other end connected to a pressure gage Hwhereby the pressure in the tank over the provided with, a cover isarran liquid is indicated. A safety .valve H is also provided on theconduit pipe H.

In the modification shown in Fig. 2 the mixer K has projecting into it anozzle L connected to a conduit L through which sulfur dioxid orsulfurous acid is pumped. Above the nozzle L is a pipe M having aconical orifice M and leading upward into a closed receptacle M From thereceptacle M a number of conduits M radiate to the sides or near thesides of the mixer. A.

pressure gage H and a safety valveI-I are provided at the top of thereceptacle M. An outlet pipe or conduit N is provided at the bottom ofthe mixer; the to of the mixer is closed but it can be opene for thepurpose of putting in ore and water. The nozzle L and the orifice Macting as an injector cause the mixture to pass up throu h the conduit Mand out through the conduits M to the sides of the mixer and by bringingthe ore to the outside of the mixer the ore is thoroughly treated. Inthis modification the mixing is done by the injector action though theactual introduction of the ore into the mixer is not or need not beeffected by this means.

Referring to Fig. 3 another form of mixer O is shown. The mixer O isprovided with an outlet 0 at the bottom passing to an outlet 0 foremptying the treated material and to an outlet or conduit 0 used inthecirculation system. The conduit 0 is joined to the conduit 0 which leadsback to the top of the mixer. Entering the conduit O at thebottom asshown is a nozzle P leading from a conduit F. A hopper O ged at the topof the mixer for the introduction of the ore and water. Sulfur dioxid orsulfurous acid is injected through a conduit P and nozzle P and by theinjector action circulates the material thoroughly thereby insurinethcient treatment. At the top of the mixer a pressure gage H and asafety valve H are provided.

Referring to Fig. 4 the mixer Q (which contains the water and ore) has acentral vertical pipe R open at both' ends and slightly flared at thebottom and an injector nozzle S projecting through the bottom of themixer Q and into the bottom of the vertical pipe R is arranged tointroduce the sulfur dioxid or sulfurous acid which causes thecirculation of the mixture and effects the solution of the zinc from theore.

For the purpose of washing away a mass of ore if necessary, hollowradial spraying arms T connected through central hollow castings Twithsupply pipes may be used to direct streams of liquid on to theconical bottom of the mixer.

If a supersaturated solution of sulfur dioxid in water is employed asreferred to above, this may be prepared by pumping sulfur dioxid gasinto a hermetically closed vessel but it may be prepared in any otherway.

The zinc may be precipitated from the solution as m'onosulfitepreferably by the combined action of heat and vacuum. The precipitatedzinc mono-sulfite is then preferably heated in a suitable furnace toobtain zinc oxid and the escaping sulfur dioxid gases may be used againin the process, after having also been brought in contact with the zincsolution coming from the extracting mixer for the purpose of heating thesaid solution.

-What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis '1. The method of continuously treating metalliferous ores orcompounds, in a suspending liquid which consists in circulating the oreand liquid in a closed system and under pressure through a' conduit ofrestricted capacity and into a closed receiver for retaining pressure bythe introduction of a chemically active elastic fluid medium underpressure 'into the conduit upwardly in the direction in which the ore iscirculated therethrough whereby the ore circu-- lating through theconduit is commingle'd with and acted upon by the chemical agent and thechemically active v medium is. retained by the liquid.

2. The method of continuously treating metalliferous ores I in asuspendlng liquid which consists in transferring the ore and liquid froma containin tank to a closed mixing chamber in which pressure ismaintained, through a conduit of restricted capacity and during suchtransfer commingling therewith in the conduit a. chemically activeelastic fluid medium, whereby the ore is subjected to uniform chemicalaction and the chemically active medium is retained by the liquid. j

3. The methoo of extracting zinc from its ores which consists incommingling the ore with a suspending liquid in forcing said ore andliquid through a conduit of restricted capacity and against maintainedpressure by a jet 0 sulfurous acid whereby all portions of the ore aresubjected to a uniform chemical action and in subsequently filtering thesolution and precipitating the zinc.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of subscribing witnesses.

HENRY THOMAS DURANT. HENRY 'LIVINGSTONE SUlhiliAl l. WOLDEMARiiflii'llliEL. Witnesses as to Henry Thomas Durant: v CHRISTOPHERLEWELLIN HARRY,

REGINALD ()wmv JAMES. Witnesses as to Henry Livingstone Sulman andWoldemar Hommel:

H. D. JAMEsoN, 4 A. NU'rrINo.

